Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-04-21

to shame the offender by hints of sites
and troughs. Mamma lays line upon
line and precept upon precept to such
effect that the boy becomes really prop
cr-manneredn by the time the family
take their next summer flight. In the
autumn the work has all to be done over
again. That Robby is an initiative
animal counts for much in his parents
calculations, but not nearly enough.
II am actually afraid of my children
when / see how quickly they contract my
worst habits" said one mother. The
good must be taught patiently. They
catch evil instinctively."
There is no mystery in the matter.
That which is seemly passed without
comment. A strain is obtrusive. Robby
eats as he is taught to do when the
natural awkwardness of exchanging spoon
and bowl for knife, fork, and plate Is
surmounted. Violations of decent or
derliness catch his eye at once, even
when mamma is guilty of what she has
forbidden in him. The spirit of juvenile
adventure does the rest. His table drill
should begin from the moment he is
allowed to feed himself. Give him his
own knife, ork, spoon, plate, and mug,
and make the bib necessary part of the
equipment, When he is promoted to
a seat at the family table do not make
him the most important member Of the
circle. Let him await his turn patiently.
Discipline is as needful for the healthful
growth of character as love for the de-
velopment of the affection. By teachin g
your child to give place to his elders you
spare him many battle with his selfish
will liz after years.
Insist that baby shalt eat slowly and
neatly. Health depends upon thorough
masticatiou; decency enjoins that he
shall not leave sam pies of his food on
cloth, garments, and face. Do not chide
or punish him for accidents when he has
tried to behave well, but forbid him to
play with his yictusls and table furniture.
He il no happier for being allowed to
mould his bread into marbles, or pound
the board with his fists and silver mug,
or rattle spoon and fork against plate
and cup. 1t is not essential for right en-
joyment and digestion of what he eats
that he should grease his hands to the
knuckles and besmear his cheeks back to
his ears and up to the eyes. Nor that he
should champ and suck chicken bones
after tearing asunder the joints. BY the
time he is years old he ought to eat with
no more noise and as decoIously as his
father does.
How strange that young fellow who
is so gentlemanly in other things, should
lay mis- bread on the table, then butter ii
back and forth, trowel and mortar fash
ion!' said hostess to a guest.
His father does the same" was the
cogent reply.
| DIR. johnson declared the famous line
"Who rules free men should himself be
free" to be an idle play upon words
CAS- well, he said, say, "Who drives fat
oxen should himself be fat"
/ There ls no discount on the sentiment
"Who would have his children well-bred
must comport himself with propriety.'
| Example goes so much further than pre-
/ cept, that the latter never. overtakea and
throttles it.
| Having taught your boy to eat leisurely
and noiselessly, and rather as if the bust
ness were an incident. in the history OF
/ the day than an epoch, do not vitiate the
/ effect of the course by boiling your break
/ fast by the square inch, and flushing
down the cubes with enormous draughts
of liquid. 1t is TO your shame and his
| hurt that you TASK only five minutes for
the morning meal, and can dispose of q
/ three-course dinner in ten minutes, upon
/ OCCASION Your sons occasions are as
urgent in his eyes as are yours to you.
/ He would like to swallow soup, meat and
/ pudding in five minutes and be off to the
| play ground as much as you desire to keep
| your business engagements. If you have
earned for yourself the lasting penalty
of an uneasy digestion, be merciful to
| him.
! No habits are uulearned with more
difficulty than table usages, and in none
| Is the influence of early education more
| potent. The child who is allowed to
/ satisfy his appetite In the easiest and
swiftest mode, to sacrifice breeding To
/ the claims of hunger except when com
| pany' is present, will forget and at OPP
/ perfume times, when he is a man, the
artificial polish gained in society. Often
er still, the polish does not take" evenly
leaves the surface bare in spots. Az
with poor Rosamonds silver pape r, it is
/ not big enough to cover the whole basket
/ When pulled hard ON one side, it comes
/ up on the other.
We meet every day at your table, anG
at niue, the people who, feeding at home
/ twenty days in She month, do not know
/ how to dine in friends houses on the 9th
er ten. We say this young man: He
had careful early training or what
1--WE must make allowance for the defc
len cies of characterization.
Why not teach Our Baby how to ear
/ properly, as well as 70 sit. speak, anC
walk well, Chas indecorum at table
with faults, rather than foibles. 1t is quite
as becoming to him TO turn in his toes a:
to smack his lips in chewing; his little
world suffers less annoyance when he
sprawls on the perlor floor, kicking anc
sereeching, than when he chokes dowI
his bread and butter, eats with his knife
gnaws meat like dog, and licks his fng
ers ufterward.